Method of heating furnaces and the like and apparatus therefor



' J. M. LYNSKEY METHOD OF HEATING FURNACES AND THE LIKE, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 29, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q o R\ w I v k\ & Q Q f a 3 I g o R N R 4 3 g -@-@m g a :Ul

. ATTCRNEY Oct. 26 1926.

- J. M. LYNSKEY METHOD OF HEATING FURNACES AND THE LIKE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 29, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Oct. 26,1926. 1,604,525 Y J. M. LYN'SKEY METHOD OF HEATING FURNACES A ND THE LIKE. AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 29, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet s i l 45' .33 I 19 5 4a 4 1;; F w 20 T I ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,604,525 PATIENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. LYNSKIFY, OF EAST PROVIDEN CE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .ASSIGNMENTS, TO SOCONY BURNER CORPORATION, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y., A COR- IPORATIO1\T OF DELAWARE.

METHED 0E HEATING FURNACES AND THE LIKE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Application filed February 29, 1924. Serial No. 695,911.

, My invention relates to a method of heating furnaces and the like, and more particularly relates to a method, -1nvolv1ng the burning of liquid hydrocarbons, of heatmg steam, hot air, or hot water furnaces or gen-- erators, or the like, for heating or power purposes, and to a liquidfuel burner and burner controlling mechanism suitable for use in carrying out this method.

.The principal ohje'ctof my: invention 1s to provide a liquid hydrocarbon burner which produces a hot flame especially well suited to heat steam, hot water, or hot air generators, or the like, and which dellvers from its'flame a maximum proportlon of the whole amount of heat which is theoretically derivable from the liquidfuel used; and a method of heating furnaces, or the like, by means of such burner and flame whereby there is a maximum transference of heat from the flame to the boiler or retort element of the furnace with a minimum of loss or waste, and consequentially, whereby a maximum of heating of the furnace is obtamed from the fuel utilized, to the end that fuel is conserved.

Another object-of my invention is to prevent objectionable noise or roaring when the burner is in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide automatic burner control mechanism which is responsive to furnace conditions to start and to stop the burner, and to provide automatic safety mechanism which controls and shuts off. theburner whenever there isa failure of proper ignition, or'w-hen the fuel supply to the burner is not taken care ofproperly; and to provide means for preventing the self-starting of the burner after a safety shut down so that personal attention is required to restore the burner to self-start ing condition.

A further object of my invention is, to provide draft regulating mechanism which serves to conserve the heat created in the furnace and to prevent unnecessary waste thereof; and which operates automatically to maintain a constant predetermined pressure in the fire box of the furnace.

Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out herein'after.

My invention accordingly consists in the Several steps, the relation to each of the the method and construction hereinafter setv forth and the-scope of the application of pllilich will be indicated in the claims that o ow.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directedto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and illustrating one possible embodiment of my invention. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical side view of a furnace, and burner apparatus, burner control apparatus, and draft regulating apparatus, all embodying my invention, associated therewith, a portion of the furnace being broken away to more clearly show the burner; Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatical side View of certain of the control parts, some of the parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional. view of the forward end of theburner; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the burner flame. deflector plate mounted in inverted position as it is used with heavier fuel oils; Fig. 5 is a side view of a furnace flue with the draft regulator therein; and F ig. 6 is an end View of the draft regulator in said flue. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In carrying out my method, I place in the fire box 1 of the furnace 2 to be heated a liquid hydrocarbon burner 3 in such position that the flame of the burner is properly directed toward or against the steam, hot water, or hot air retort or generator to heat the Same in the manner desired. The burner preferably supplies a completely combustible mixture, and the furnace is equipped with a suitable flue pipe 4c through which the products of combustion may escape. This flue, however, is blocked by an inserted damper device 5 which automatically maintains the pressure in the fire box at just below atmospheric pressure and thus serves to prevent the escape of hot products from the furnace until substantially all their effective,

heat has been the furnace. y

This damper'device comprises a conical tube or pipe 6 rigidly secured within the pipe 4:. A damper plate 7 swings at the end given up to the generator of tit roe

of the conical member 6 to open and close the passagetherethrough in response to differences in pressure on the opposite sides of the plate. Plate 7 is secured to a shaft 8 which is mounted to revolve freely in bushings 9 supported on the pipe 4, and at one end this shaft carries a balancing lever 10. The damper 7 is balanced by dropping a certain quantity of shot, or the like, into a container 11 secured to one end of lever 10.

Preferably the damper 7 is so balanced that it will be in equilibrium when the pressure in the fire box of the furnace is just below atmospheric pressure. Should this pressure increase the damper opens, with the result that the pressure decreases; and should this pressure decrease the damper closes, thus allowing the pressure to build up.

The burner comprises a vertically dis posed burner tube 12 provided near its upper end with a plurality of apertures 13 which are in open communication with the interior of the fire box. On the upper end of the tube is mounted an annular combustion head 14, which has an outwardly flaring chamber, and a diffusing and retarding plate 15, provided with a plurality of perforations 16, is seated in the upper end of head 14. A defleeting disc-like plate 17 is supported directly above, but at some distance from, the apertured plate 15, as by being mounted on a spacing rod or standard 18, which is carried by the member 15. Plate 17 is preferably reversible on the spacer 18. In the lower end of tube 12 is mounted an annular tapered nozzle 19, which increases the velocity of an air current flowing therethrough without restricting the flow, and at this end the tube 12 is supported by an elbow pipe 20. The other end of elbow 20 is connected with one end of a conduit or pipe 21 which extends into the furnace and is connected with a motor driven fan blower 22, which produces a low pressure air flow through the burner. The forward parts of the burner are adapted to be supported in suitable position in the fire box of the furnace, as by means of suitable legs or supports, such as 23, and in such position that the flame of the burner will play in the desired manner toward or against the parts of the furnace intended to be heated.

24 is a constant level liquid fuel tank which receives liquid fuel, such as hydrocarbon oil, from a suitable source of fuel supply through a pipe 25, and from which the 4 fluid flows through pipe 26 into a valve chamber 27. A pipe 28 leads from valve 27 into another valve chamber 29. The liquid fuel is adapted to drop from valve 29 through pipe 30 and an intervening air space into a screened funnel 31 in the upper end of a pipe 32 which leads into an air separating receptacle 33. This receptacle has an air vent pipe 34. From this receptacle a pipe 35 leads into the furnace, then upwardly, and then transversely into the burner tube 12, and is so positioned that its outlet end is directly over and sufficiently close to the dischargeend of air throat 19, so that the air flow through this throat draws in liquid fuel from the end of pipe 35, and will spray it upwardly with atomizing effect.

Pipe 36 extends from a source of water supply (not shown) to a valve 37 from which a pipe 38 leads to another valve 39 which. discharges into a screened funnel 40 at the end of a pipe 41 which extends downwardly, then across .into the furnace, then upwardly, then transversely into the tube 12 and ends just over the end of pipe 35. The air flow through the burner tube draws in water from the end of the pipe 41, atomizing and mixing this water with the mixture of atomized fuel and air to make a denser mixture and slowing combustion. Water is used only with oils having boiling points below that of kerosene300 to 570 degrees Fahrenheit. Phe water is used in quantitgies suflicient to prevent accumulation of car- 42 is a pipe leading from a suitable gas supply (not shown) to an adjustable glycerin valve 43 of usual form, having an adjustment screw 44. The usual form of glycerin valve includes a plunger which moves in a cylinder containing glycerin and having a small outlet into a container, so that when the plunger moves downwardly its movement is retarded in accordance with the length of time it takes for the lunger to force the glycerin through the orifice in the cylinder. Pipe 45 extends from this valve into the furnace, then upwardly, and then transversely into the burner tube 12 near its upper end. This pipe maintains a burning gas torch in the burner tube for a period of time when the burner starts in operation and then the glycerin valve 43 acts to shut off this torch. The burner, however, continues to operate. A smaller pipe 46 leads from the pipe 42 into the burner tube 12 near its upper end, to maintain a permanent pilot gas flame in the tube. This pipe may include a hand valve 47.

48 is a device associated with the furnace which moves a plunger 49 upwardly and downwardly in response to increase and decrease in steam pressure or in temperature, in the furnace generator, and may be of any usual construction. The upper end of plunger 49 engages a lever 50 which may be ivoted, as at 51, to a stationary bracket 52, and which may be provided with an adjustable counterbalance weight 53. A rod 54 is mounted intermediate its ends on the rotatable valve operating member 55 of the water valve 37, and at one end is connected with the lever 50 by means of connecting link 56. A rod 57 is connected at its lower end with the sliding valve stem or plunger 58 of the oil valve 29, and at its upper end rod 57 has a pin and slot connection, as at 59, with the rod 54. Plunger 58 is weighted, as at 60. The plunger 61 of the glycerin gas valve 43 has an annular shoulder portion 64 at its upper end. Suspended from rod 54 is a strip 65, which at its lower end carries two pivoted latch members 66 which are'adapted to engage the plunger 61 from opposite sides, whereby the plunger is raised upwardly when the rod 54 rises, and the valve is opened. These latches 66, however, have heel portions 67 which, when the strip rises to a certain point, strike 'against stationary pins 68 which cam the latches out of engagement with the plunger, thus releasing the plunger to close the valve 43. Aft-er release, however, the closing of this valve is delayed for the time required for the glycerin to flow back into its reservoir, as is well understood, this time being subject to regulation by adjusting the valve screw 44. Pins 68 may be provided on a casting 68 secured in stationary position to a suitable wall, post, or bracket, which it is not deemed necessary to show in the drawings.

The sliding plunger 69 of the safety oil valve 27 has' a disc-like weight 70 at its upper end. 71 is a bracket secured to the valve casing 72, and on this bracket is pivotally mounted a lever 73. One end of lever 7 3 is normally seated beneath the member 70 to hold the plunger 69 raised and the valve 27 open. The other end of lever 73 is connected with a switch 74 in the circuit to the fan blower motor. Suspended from lever 73 by means of rod 75 is a receptacle 76. An inclined pipe 77, communicating at one end with an interior lowermost portion of the burner near its front, as at 78, leads into this receptacle, so that whenever a predetermined quantity of liquid, such as fuel or water, flows from the burner into this receptacle, the weight of the fluid will cause the lever 73 to be tilted so as to withdraw from beneath the member 70, whereupon the plunger 69 drops and cuts off the feed of fuel through the valve chamber. 27. Such movement of lever 73 is also adapted to open the switch 74 to stop the fan blower and its motor. The lever 73 may be provided with a counterbalance arm 79 having an adjustable weight 80, whereby the device may be adjusted to operate in response to various weights of fluid received in the receptacle 76.

81 and 82 are electrical conductors lead ing from a suitable source of electrical current (not shown), through a rheostat 83, to a switch 84; and from this switch circuit wires 85 and 86 lead to switch 74 from which conductors 87 and 88 lead to a motor 89 which drives the fan blower 22. The heel portion 90 of rod 54 is connected with switch 84 so that the position of the rod determines the condition of the switch. As rod 54 is raised up a certain amount in response to movement of plunger 49 of the furnace device 48, this switch is closed, and when rod 54 lowers to a certain point this switch is opened. Thus there is obtained automatically the starting and stopping of the fan blower and the feed of air to the burner in response to furnace conditions, such as pressure or temperature, whichever influence the movement of the plunger 49.

The outer end of arm 73 is connected with switch 74 in such a way that when this arm is in normal position with its inner end holding up the valve plunger 69, the switch 74 will be closed, but when the arm 73 has become tilted by reason of the weight of fluid in the receptacle 76, the switch 74 will be opened and the circuit to the motor 89 will be broken.

I also provide a valve 91 in the water pipe 38 and connect a rod or key 93 with this valveand with the member 70 on the plunger 69'of valve 27 in such a way that when the member 70 is in its normal raised position,

with the valve 27 open, the valve 91 will be open, but when the member 70 is released by the tilting of the arm 73, the dropping of the member 70 will move the member 92 to close the valve 91 and thus will shut off the water supply to the burner.

The normal operation of the burner is as follows :-The switch 74 is closed and the oil and water valves 27 and 91 are open until the safety mechanism operates to close these valves and to open the switch. If the furnace boiler or generator is comparatively cool, the plunger 49 of the device 48 is in lowered position, and consequently the lever 54 is in raised position and its heel portion 90 is in lowered position. Accordingly, the switch 84 is closed; the water valve 37 is open; the liquid fuel valve 29 is open and the gas torch valve 43 is open. The fan blower 22 delivers an air flow through the conduit 21, elbow 20, through the tapered nozzle 19 and across the pipe ends 35 and 41 with sufficient velocity to draw in and atomize the liquid fuel and water from the ends of these pipes. The gasflame at the torch 45 commingles with this mixture and ignites and partially vaporizes the mixture as it passes into the combustion head 14. This'burning mixture strikes the diffusing plate 15, which retards the flow of the mixture and causes further intermixing thereof, while the vaporization of unvaporized fuel continues under the influenceof the mixing and heating. The burning mixture' discharges through the apertures 16 of the member 15 and strikes'against the deflected plate 17, which causes further intermixing of the mixture and completes the vaporization of all unva-porized fuel, and at the same time impedes to. a certain extent the direct burner.

forward travel of the mixture through the Members 15 and 17 combine to maintain the velocity of flowthrough the burner at a rate which is sufiiciently slow to insure full and complete vaporization of the fuel and intermix-ing of the elements, and to 'insure the production of a completely combustible mixture.

The arrangement of the glycerin gas valve 43 is such that just after the plunger 61 has been raised by movement of the rod 54 to a sufiicient height to completely open temperature or pressure has reached a p'redetermined low stage. By this time, however, the contents within the fire box have become heated very hot by the burner flame. The passage of the mixture through the burner tube 12 draws the hot gases from the fire box through the ports 13 of the burner, and these'products mix with the mixture which is flowing through the tube and heat it sufliciently to start the vaporization of the fuel and to aid in causing the same to become ignited.

The burner continues to operate in this manner until the pressure or temperature of the furnace enerator has reached the predetermined high stage established for automatically shutting down the burner.

- When this occu'rs the plunger '49 will have raised to a certain extent and the rod 54 will have been lowered proportionately. The burner apparatus is so adjusted that when the rod 54 reaches this lowered position, the plunger 58 of the oil valve 29 will have lowered sufficiently toclose this valve and to shut off the oil supply to the burner; the water valve '37 will have turned 'sutiiciently to cut off the water supply to the burner; and the heel portion 90 of the rod 54 will; have raised suificiently to open the switch 84, thus stopping the blower. This downward; movement of rod 54 brlngs tne latches 66 into engagement with the plunger 61 of the gas torch valve 43, so that when the rod 54 rises again, the plunger 61 will be raised and a supply of gas will be delivered at the torch when the burner starts to operate again. -When the furnace conditions are such that the plunger 49 is lowered to a predetermined point, the rod 54 and its heel portion 90 will have moved and actuated the switch 84 toclose the circuit to the blower, and to open the gas, water and fuel supply conduits to the burner. A pilot gas flame burns continually at the'pipe 46.

When the safety control device has operated, the motor circuit will be broken at the switch 74, the liquid fuel .circuit will be closed at the valve 27 and the water flow will be shut off at the valve 91. Thus, no matter how the rod 54 audits heel portion 90 may be moved, there can be no water, nor fuel, nor electric current supplied to the burner motor until the receptacle 7 6 is emptied and the lever 73 and weight restored to normal operating position. These adjustments require personal attention.

The water feed is used only with oils having boiling points below that of kerosene300 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit, and When used, the water is used only in quantities suflicient to prevent the accumulation of carbon. Such use of water will not decrease the efliciency of the burner, but rather will tend to increase it by slowing combustion and thereby allowing increased time for vaporization and intermixing. \Vhen pot desired or necessary, the water supply may be shut off at the hand valve 39, and no other adjustments are necessary.

Various grades of hydrocarbon oils may be used in this burner. To change from one grade of oil to another, it is preferable to make an alteration either in the deflecting angle presented by the deflecting-plate 17 or in its distance from the member 15, or to change both this angle and distance. For instance, for the light oils a deflecting plate shaped and positioned as shown in Fig. 3 is suitable, while for a heavier oil the deflecting plate is preferably inverted on the spacer 18, as shown in Fig. 4. By these adjustments, the temperature in the combustion head may be increased or decreased at will, since the temperature increases in accordance with the rate of velocity of flow through the combustion head, and the shape of the deflecting plate and its distance from the member 15 influences this velocity. The size and number of holes 16 in the member 15 also influence this velocity and temperature. The glycerin valve adjusting screw 44 should also be adjusted for different grades of oil as the torch 45 should burn a longer time for the heavier oils than for the lighter oils; The burner will operate eificiently on oilsas heavy as commercial gas oil, which has a boiling point of about 7 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For diflerent oils a slight regulation in the air supply may be desirable, and this may be had by varying the speed of the fan blower through the. rheostat .83 or by means of an adjustable gate in the air conduit.

The burner'has a variable range of oil consumption and will operate efficiently at any point within this range. The consumption may be regulated by merely varying the speed of the fan blower, and this may be readily accomplished through the rheominimum amount per unit of time to two times said amount for the same'unit of time.

This burner may readily be installed in an ordinary household furnace of the steam, hot air, or hot water type. To install the burner, the customary grate bars and ash pit door are removed. The burner is setin the fire box of the furnace with the various the ash pit opening. This opening is then bricked in solid. Dry sand, or similar material, is now packedaround the burner tube within the furnace to within about one-half inch of the openings 13 and sloped down to the bottom of the water leg (or its equivalent) ofthe boiler or generator of the furnace. This packed sand deadens the sound caused by burner operation.

Preferably the oil reservoir 24 is so located that the level of the oil in the reservoir is at least 10 inches above the oil outlet in the burner tube.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. it is also tobe understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention intermixing said ignited mixture in the burner to enhance vaporization by self-heating of the mixture and retarding increase of its flow velocity due to heating, and discharging said ignited mixture from theburner.

2. The method, of burning liquid hydrocarbon fuel in a burner, which includes creating a flowing mixture of atomized liquid hydrocarbon fuel and air, introducing into said mixture combustion products of the burner hot enough to initiate vaporization of said mixture, igniting said mixture,

intermixing said ignited mixture in the burner to enhance vaporization by self-heating of the mixture and retarding increase of its flow velocity due to heating, discharging said ignited mixture from the burner I and baflling the discharged burning mixture burner apparatus pipes projecting through to complete vaporization and to further retard increase of the flow velocity through the burner due to heating and combustion 'and to spread the discharged flame.

3. The method of burning liquid hydrocarbon fuel in a burner, which includes creating a flowing mixture of atomized liquid hydrocarbon fuel and air and atomized water in suflicient amount to prevent accumulation ofcarbon due to combustion, in-

troducing into said mixture combustion products of the burner hot enough to initiate vaporization of said mixture, igniting said mixture, intermixing said ignited mixture in the burner to enhance vaporization by self-heating of the mixture and retarding increase of its flow velocity due to heating, discharging said ignited mixture from the burner and'bafiling the discharged burning mixture to complete vaporization and to further retard increase of the flow velocity through the burner due to heating and combustion and to spread the discharged flame.

4. A method of the character described, which includes establishing a flow of air through a confined space, introducing atom- --ized hydrocarbon oil into said air flow within said confined space, subjecting the resultant mixture to'heat sufficient to initiate vaporization in said mixture and to ignite the same, and substantially simultaneously therewith conducting said mixture into a less confined space to restrain increase in velocity of flow of said mixture due to heating and combustion, bathing said mixture at the discharge end of saidspace to cause intermingling andcontinued vaporization thereof and to retard its flow from said space, discharging said mixture through an intervening space against a bafile to cause further intermingling of the mixture and to restrain increase in the velocity of the entire flow of said mixture due to heating and conibustion, and to cause the discharged flame to spread.

-This specification signed this 25th day of February, 1924;

' JOSEPH M. LYNSKEY. 

